Lock housing with knob mounting construction



July23, 1957 D. L. BIBLIN 2,800,352

LOCK HOUSING WITH KNOB MOUNTING CDNSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 12, 1952 s Sheets-Shed 1 INVENTOR 2 4. 3/ 4/) BY ATTORNEY y l957 D. L. BIBLIN 2,800,352

LOCK HOUSING WITH KNOB MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 12, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A 4. ,9, l/ni ATTORNEY y 1957 D. L. BIBLIN 2,800,352

LOCK HOUSING WITH KNOB MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United Stat LOCK HOUSING WITH KNOB MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Daniel LQBiblin, Terryville, Conn., assignnr to The & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn.,

a corporation of Connecticut Application November 12, 1952, Serial No. 319,824

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-352) This invention relates to tubular locks, and more particularly to the means whereby rotating knobs are assembled at the opposed ends of the spindle housing in locks of this class. Through the extremely novel construction that I provide by my invention, I discourage unauthorized removal-of the knobs from the lock, and moreover, in those locks in which one of the knobs is a locking knob, I definitely prevent the removal of this knob when it is locked against rotation. My construction does, nevertheless, allow the authorized removal of the locking knob when it is free to rotate, regardless of whether or not a key is available. Further, I utilize particular features of my novel construction to hold parts of the spindle housing very securely assembled, as will be described.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the knobs of locks of the particular class are formed with sleeve portions that are assembled upon spindle sleeves rotating in the ends of the spindle housing. To retain the knobs, dogs are provided on the spindle sleeves, these dogs being pressed outwardly by spring action so as to engage in openings in the sleeve portions of the knobs.

It has been customary so to position these openings in the sleeve portions of the knobs as to make the knobretaining dogs readily accessible, thus making it a very simple matter to release the knobs merely by depressing the dogs away from the openings. In one example of the prior art, ferrules on the end portions of the spindle housing do extend over the dogs, but the dogs are nor mally exposed through openings in the ferrules. This arrangement, because of the normally exposed position of the dogs, encourages mischievous removal of the 4 knobs. Also, because the ferrules in this construction are not retained positively, it is possible for them to work loose from the spindle housing.

Of course, when the outer knob is a locking knob that retains a key operated lock cylinder, as is frequently the case in locks of this class, it is important to prevent unauthorized removal of this knob. For this purpose, the stated example of the prior art utilizes the locking action of the lock cylinder to lock the knob to the spindle sleeve. Actually, means is provided whereby a key plug in the lock cylinder acts when in locking position to block release movement of the dog. This makes the removal of the locking knob and the cylinder dependent upon the operation of the key plug by the key, and therefore prevents re placement of the key operated cylinder by a new cylinder when the key is lost. In fact, if the cylinder cannot be picked, the entire lock must be destroyed.

By the extremely novel construction that I have now contributed in a lock of the class described, I do allow removal of the locking knob, but I also prevent its unauthorized removal and, further, I discourage tampering with both knobs. This I accomplish by forming the spindle housing at each end to overlie the dogs so that the dogs are inaccessible and cannot be depressed when the spindle sleeves are in' their normal positions corresponding to the projected position of the latch bolt. In 'znore detail, the end portions of the spindle housing 2,800,352 Patented July 23, 1957 in the preferred form of my invention are cylindrical and have upon them decorative ferrules. Aligned openings in the end portions and in the ferrules provide access to the dogs, and I so position these openings as to be out of alignment with the dogs when the spindle sleeves are in their normal positions that correspond to the projected position of the latch bolt. Thus, in order to expose the dogs so that they can be depressed to release the knobs, it is first necessary to rotate the sleeves away from their normal positions. I thereby discourage tampering with the knob-retaining dogs, and I absolutely prevent the removal of a knob when it is locked in its normal position. Nevertheless, those skilled in'the art will appreciate that an outside locking knob, in locks of the particular class, can be unlocked from the inner side of the door. By unlocking the locking knob in this way, I am enabled by -my novel construction to rotate the knob to expose its dog through the access opening, and I can therefore remove the locking knob and the lock cylinder in it independently of the locking and reelasing action of this cylinder.

As a further feature of my invention, I provide positive means to retain the decorative ferrules assembled on the end portions of the spindle housing with their access openings for the dogs aligned with the corresponding openings in the end portions. To do this, I form the openings in the ferrules by piercing these openings into the openings in the end portions. A part of the metal of the ferrules is thereby forced into the openings in the end portions, and locks the ferrules securely to the spindle housing. This construction enables me, as still another feature of the invention, to utilize the decorative ferrules in a novel Way in the assembly of the spindle housing. I contemplate forming the spindle housing from complementary parts that are coextensive along the spindle axis, the ends of these parts together forming the end portions of the housing. Because the ferrules are locked on these end portions by the piercing of the open ings in the ferrules, the housing parts are held very securely assembled and cannot become loose due to movement of the ferrules relatively to the end portions.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a lock embodying my novel construction in a preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on a plane at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 3, but shows the dog rotated to align with the access opening.

Fig. 5 is a view showing parts of the lock in exploded relation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I show a lock of the particular class having spindle sleeves in and 11 that rotate in cylindrical inner and outer end portions 12 of a spindle housing 13. Decorative ferrules 14 are on the end portions 12, and in the particular form of spindle housing that I illustrate, the end portions 12 actually are the assembled semi-cylindrical ends of a pair of eompl'ementaryhou'sing parts 15,16 'thatt' are held knobs having. sleeve portions 21,. 22 assembled on the spindle sleevesilo'and 1-.1. .:'1" h metal of the sleeve portions'2 lg22 is struck inwardly to form lugs'23 that enter slots 24 in the spindle sleeves-10, 11', as shown in Fig. 1, thereby preventing relativerotation between the parts. Dogs 25 inthe spindle sleeves retain'the knobs on the sleeves. The dogs 25" are of a; type that. is usual in locks of this class, being. somounted as to move transversely to thespindle axis in openingsin the spindle sleeves 10, 11s A spring 26' presses each dog, outwardly so that an end portion 27 eithe dog enters an opening in the sleeve portion ofthe knob. Those skilled in the'art will understandth'at the end portions 27 of the dogs when depressed move inwardly away from the openings in the sleeve portions 21, 22, thereby permitting the knobs 19, 20 to be removed 'endwise from the spindle sleeves 10, 11.

To appreciate my invention to the fullest extent, it is necessary to realize that the knobs in locks of this class rotate against the force of a spring to retract the bolt, and that the spring returns these knobs to a normal position corresponding to the projected position of the bolt. The particular details of the mechanism whereby this is done are not important to an understanding of my invention, and I' have illustrated, merely by way of example, a mechanism in which a bolt retractor 28 is moved against the forceof a pair of springs 29 by cams 30 on the inner ends of the spindle sleeves 10 and 11. The springs 29 then act through the retractor 28 to rotate the sleeves back to normal position. The bolt retractor 28 is, of course, interlocked with the latch bolt tail 31 in the usual way, as may be seen in Fig. 1.

Locks of this class are frequently provided with means to lock one of the knobs, termed a locking knob, and the outer knob 20, as I have shown it, actually is a locking knob. In the arrangement shown, a push piece 32 having a push button 33 extends inwardly through the inner knob 19. When the push button 33 is pressed, it moves the push piece to locking position against the force of a spring 32a and causes a tongue 34 onthe push piece to enter a slot 35 in the outer spindle sleeve 11, so that this sleeve and the knob 20-upon it cannot be rotated to retract the latch bolt. The push piece 32 has upon it a lug 36 through which it is dogged relatively to the bolt retractor 28 so as to be held in locking position, the arrangement being such that the lug 36 is released by a retracting movement of the retractor.-

Those acquainted with the art will understand that the bolt retractor 28 can be moved to release the lug 36 through rotation of the inner knob, and sometimes in particular locks by depressing the latc'hbolt. It is usual also to provide a releasing sleeve 37 that rotates within the outer spindle sleeve 11, and that acts similarly to move the bolt retractor. The releasing sleeve 37, however, is normally locked relatively to the outer sleeve 11 because of its cnnection with the key plug of a lock cylinder 38 that is positioned in the outer knob 20.

The particular form of this lock cylinder is not important to an understanding of my invention, and it is merely necessary to know that it controls the releasing sleeve 37 and is retained relatively to the outer spindle sleeve 11 by the knob 20; By the use of the proper key, the sleeve 37 may be rotated when the spindle sleeve 11 is locked, thus moving the retractor 28 not only to retract the bolt but also to unlock the outer spindle sleeve 11.

The construction thatl have thus far described is rather conventional ina lockeofthe particula1=.class,.but

the novel features of my invention do enable me to obtain in this construction an exceedingly novel coaction, as will now be described.

I particularly form the cylindrical end portions 12 of the spindle housing 13 to overlie the outer ends 27 of the knob-retaining dogs 25. In thefpreferred form of my invention, the dogs 25 are positioned entirely within the end portions 12 of the spindle housing, and also within the decorative ferrules 14 on the end portions 12, as may be clearly seen in the drawings. Normally, therefore, the outer ends 27 of the dogs 25 are inaccessible and cannot be depressed to release the knobs 19, 20, from the spindle sleeves 10, 11. I do, nevertheless, make possible the authorized removal of the knobs 19, 20. For this purpose, I form openings 39 in the end portions 12 of the housing. Further, I pierce the ferrules 14 in such a way as to form openings 40 that are in aligned relation to the openings 39, with the metal that is deformed as a result of the piercing operation positioned against the sides of openings 39. The openings 39, 40 are so placed that the outer ends 27 of the dogs can be aligned therewith, but these openings 39, 40 are out ofalignment relatively to the ends 27 of the dogs 25 when the spindle sleeves 10 and 11 are in the position inwhich they are normally held by the retractor springs 29, as may be seen in Fig. 3. It is necessary, therefore, to rotate the spindle sleeves 10, 11 against the force of the springs 29 in order to expose the dogs through the openings, as shown in Fig. 4. Through this arrangement, I discourage tampering because it is impossible to depress the dogs 25 merely by inserting a tool through the openings 39, 40. 7

Also, the outer spindle sleeve 11 when locked by the push piece 32 holds its dog 25 out of alignment with the openings 39, 40, and it is then impossible to remove the locking knob- 20 and the lock cylinder 38 within this knob. However, if it should become necessary. to remove the outer knob 20 access can be had to its dog by first rotating the inner knob 19 so as to unlock the spindle sleeve 11, and by then rotating the outer knob so as to align the end 27 of its dog 25 with the openings 39, 40. I am thereby enabled to remove the locking knob and its lock cylinder independently of the action of the lock cylinder, and do not require a key for this purpose.

By piercing the decorative ferrules 14 to form the openings 40, I force a part of the metal of the ferrules into the openings 39 in the end portions 12, as may be clearly seen in Fig. 3, and the ferrules 14 are thereby locked to the spindle housing 13. This enables me to hold the complementary housing parts 15, 16 very securely assembled and, moreover, this construction holds the openings 40 in the ferrules aligned with the openings 39 in the end portions.

I believe that the construction and operation of my novel lock will now be' clearly understood, and that its advantages will be fully appreciated by those skilled in theart.

I now claim:

1. In a lock of the class described, complementary housing parts forming a spindle housing, said spindle housing having a central portion and opposed end' portions, decorative ferrules on said end portions, spindle sleeves rotatable in said end portions, a knob on each spindle sleeve, releasable dogs on said spindle sleeves 'se-' curing said knobs to said spindle sleeve, said end portions of said housing overlying said dogs to prevent ac* cess to said dogs to release said knobs from said sleeves, said end portions and said decorative ferrules having aligned openings whereby said spindle sleeves when rotated to predetermined positions relatively to said hous ing expose said dogs to said openings for manipulation,- and the metal of said ferrules outlining the openings in said ferrules extending into the openings in said end por tions for retaining said ferrules relatively to said spindle housing.

2. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, espi-ndlesleeve rotatable-in said spindle housing, a spring.

holding said sleeve against rotation from a position corresponding to the projected position of a latch bolt and yielding to permit rotation of said sleeve to retract the latch bolt, a knob, a depressible dog on said spindle sleeve securing said knob on said spindle sleeve against endwise removal from said sleeve and when depressed releasing said knob from said sleeve, an end portion on said spindle housing overlying said dog to prevent access to said dog, said end portion having an opening with which said spindle sleeve aligns said dog when rotated to a predetermined position against the force of said spring, a decorative ferrule on said end portion of said housing, said ferrule pierced at a point that is aligned relatively to said opening in said end portion to form a ferrule opening, and the ferrule metal that is deformed as a result of the piercing operation lying Within the opening in said end portion and against the sides of the said opening in the end portion to hold said openings aligned with each other.

3. In alock of the class described, complementary housing parts forming a spindle housing, said spindle housing having a central portion and opposed cylindrical end portions, ferrules on said end portions to assemble said housing parts relatively to each other, spindle sleeves rotatable in said end portions, a knob on each spindle sleeve, releasable dogs on the sleeves positioned within said end portions and securing said knobs to said sleeves against endwise removal from said sleeves, said cylindrical end portions having openings, said ferrules pierced at points that are aligned relatively to said openings in said end portions and to form ferrule openings providing access for manipulation of said dogs to allow said knobs to be removed endwise from said spindle sleeves, and the metal of said ferrules that extends inwardly thereof by the piercing of said openings in said ferrules lying within the openings in said end portions for retaining said ferrules relatively to said spindle housing.

4. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a spindle sleeve rotatable in said spindle housing, a knob, a depressible dog on said spindle sleeve, means on said knob engaged by the dog to secure said knob to said sleeve against endwise removal from said sleeve, said dog when depressed allowing removal of said knob from said sleeve, locking means for locking said spindle sleeve against rotation from a locked position relatively to said housing, an end portion on said spindle housing overlying said dog to prevent access to said dog when the spindle sleeve is in said locked position, and said end portion having an opening through which said spindle sleeve when rotated away from locked position to a second position exposes said dog to allow said knob to be removed from said spindle sleeve.

5. In a lock of the class described, a spindle housing, a spindle sleeve rotatable in said spindle housing, a knob, a depressible dog on said spindle sleeve securing said knob to said sleeve against endwise removal from said sleeve and when depressed allowing removal of said knob from said sleeve, locking means for locking said spindle sleeve against rotation from a locked position relatively to said housing, a lock cylinder for releasing said locking means positioned in the knob, said knob retaining said cylinder relatively to said spindle sleeve, an end portion on said spindle housing overlying said dog to prevent access thereto when the spindle sleeve is locked by said locking means, said end portion having an opening through which said spindle sleeve when rotated away from locked position to a second position exposes said dog for manipulation to allow said knob and cylinder to be removed from said spindle sleeve, additional means for releasing said spindle sleeve from locked position, and said additional means by releasing said spindle sleeve permitting said dog to be exposed through said opening and thereby allowing the removal of said knob and lock cylinder from said sleeve independently of the releasing action of said cylinder.

6. In a lock of the class described, housing parts assembled to form a spindle housing, said spindle housing having a central portion and opposed end portions, decorative ferrules on said end portions of the housing, spindle sleeves rotatable in said end portions, a knob on each spindle sleeve, releasable dogs on said spindle sleeves securing said knobs to said spindle sleeves, said end portions of said housing overlying said dogs to prevent access to said dogs to release said knobs from said sleeves, and said end portions and said decorative ferrules having aligned openings whereby said spindle sleeves when rotated to predetermined positions relatively to said housing expose said dogs to said openings for manipulation.

7. In a lock of the class described, housing parts assembled to form a spindle housing, said spindle housing having a central portion and opposed end portions, decorative ferrules on said end portions of the housing, spindle sleeves rotatable in said end portions, a knob on each spindle sleeve, releasable dogs on said spindle sleeves securing said knobs to said spindle sleeves, said end portions of said housing overlying said dogs to prevent access to said dogs to release said knobs from said sleeves, said end portions and said decorative ferrules having aligned openings whereby said spindle sleeves when rotated to predetermined positions relatively to said housing expose said dogs to said openings for manipulation, and a portion of the metal of said ferrules interlocked with said end portions for retaining said ferrules relatively to said spindle housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 201,906 Brady Apr. 2, 1878 541,017 Shaw June 11, 1895 2,002,542 McKinney May 28, 1935 2,004,182 Arey June 11, 1935 2,538,688 Heyer Jan. 16, 1951 2,669,474 Kanell Feb. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,025 Great Britain of 1911 

